Welcome to NEPCA Fantastic, the official blog of the Fantastic (Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction) Area of the Northeast Popular Culture/American Culture Association (a.k.a. NEPCA), a regional affiliate of the Popular Culture Association and the American Culture Association. Founded in 2008 and online since 2010, we seek to provide both a resource to potential presenters and a gateway to furthering the study of the intermedia traditions of the fantastic in all their varied forms.

A major publisher has shown interest in a collection of essays focused on the portrayal of genius in contemporary television. Genius characters are present in many of today’s top television series, such as House, Bones, Sherlock, Criminal Minds, Grey’s Anatomy, The Bing Bang Theory, and Numb3rs. The characters in these shows provide an interesting lens for considering how intelligence is understood and constructed in our society, particularly in terms of the social and psychological impact of genius. They also lend themselves to readings addressing race, class, and gender.

Essays in this collection should focus specifically on portrayals of highly intelligent individuals in fictional television series from the past decade. Some possible themes or topics include:

The Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference seeks papers and panels relating to all things Shakespearean, especially those focusing on the spectral, the fantastic, the mad, and the fey. We take our cue from Theseus: “Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, / Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend / More than cool reason ever comprehends.” The place of the world-beyond-the world, the line between reality and fantasy, and the demarcation of the sane from the mad are ever-present and controversial aspects of Shakespeare’s work and of early modern literature more broadly. As the plays we now call ‘romances’ or ‘dark comedies’ suggest, the transformation of the tragic into the comedic relies, to some extent, on the willing suspension of disbelief, on the capacity to accept what is otherwise contrary to our understanding, expectation, or experience. From Samuel Pepys’ condemnation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to the oblique resonances between Hamlet and Derrida’s Specters of Marx, the relationship between the ‘unreal’ and the ‘real’ is everywhere present and significant in Shakespeare’s works, and centrally a focus of performance history and critical reception from the earliest moments to the present. This conference will especially highlight these aspects of Shakespeare’s oeuvre.

Join us October 24-25, 2014 in Columbus, Ohio. Papers of 20 minutes, roundtable topics, and suggestions for panels on Shakespeare’s work and that of his contemporaries welcome.

The OVSC publishes a volume of selected papers each year and conferees are welcome to submit revised versions of their papers for consideration. Students who present are eligible to compete for the M. Rick Smith Memorial Prize.

Please send abstracts of 250 words to nunn@uakron.edu by September 12, 2014.

The Journal of Ghosthumanities is a new scholarly journal, devoted to the study of ghosthumanties. Ghosthumanities is the study of traces, imprints or reflections of bodies which have been lost, discarded or ignored, physically or in theory. Ghosthumanities is a posthumous answer to posthumanities, an answer which is so “post” as to have come full circle and (probably) be (questionably) alive again. Ghosthumanities includes in its collection of bodies those which are somewhat human, decidedly animal, multispecies, single celled, vegetal, governmental, and other agentic assemblages.

We are now inviting submissions for our inaugural issue, to be published online in January 2015. The Journal of Ghosthumanities welcomes submissions of papers and academic essays, as well as images, performance documentation, transcripts, zines etc. We are willing to work with contributors in developing appropriate content formats. Successful submissions will demonstrate a rigorous and original mode of analysis, awareness of and empathy towards other modes of thought, and flexibility.

All submissions should be sent as email attachments to ghosthumanities@gmail.com. Please send all attachments as PDF or Word documents. No more than 5,000 words or 5-10 images. If a link to your website or online work makes more sense, the link will be accepted.

Sirens, a conference focused on literary contributions by women to the fantasy genre and on fantasy works with prominent female characters, will take place October 16–19, 2014, in Stevenson, Washington, near Portland, Oregon. The conference seeks papers, panels, interactive workshops, roundtable discussions, and other presentations suitable for an audience of academics, professionals, educators, librarians, authors, and fantasy readers.

The theme for 2014 is "hauntings" and presenters are invited to consider what it means to be haunted in fantasy literature. Proposals that address women in fantasy literature, such as specific aspects of a work or series, works related by other themes, and studies of the fantasy genre across all disciplines are encouraged as well. A non-exhaustive list of sample topics includes literary analyses of novels; studies of genre history; use of fantasy works in schools and libraries for education; examination of related business and legal issues; media and fan studies; craft-based workshops in writing, art, and publishing; and overviews of how fantasy works fit into larger contexts.

The deadline for proposals is May 12, 2014, and notices regarding proposals will be sent no later than June 9, 2014. Those requiring an early decision in order to obtain travel funding from their institutions should contact the programming coordinator at (programming at sirensconference.org).

At the time of proposal submission, presenters must provide an abstract of 300–500 words, a 50–100 word presentation summary for publication, and a presenter biography of no more than 100 words. Those wishing to submit a proposal for an interactive roundtable discussion may submit a brief explanation of a topic and a list of 10–15 sample discussion questions in lieu of a formal abstract; workshop proposals may be formatted as lesson plans. Afternoon classes—interactive demonstrations of interest to fantasy readers that may be less formally related to the theme—may also be presented as lesson plans. Presenters must be available to attend the conference in its entirety; no partial or day registrations will be offered.

Conference papers will be collected for publication at a later date. Presenters must be registered for the conference no later than July 6, 2014. For more information about programming, the review process, suggested timing and structure of presentations, audio-visual availability, and proposal submissions, please see the Sirens website at http://www.sirensconference.org/programming/. Questions specifically about programming may be directed to (programming at sirensconference.org), and general conference inquiries may be sent to (help@sirensconference.org).

Sirens is a presentation of Narrate Conferences, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with the mission of organizing academic, literary, and exploratory educational conferences that address themes of interest to scholars, educators, students, professionals, and readers. For inquiries about Narrate Conferences, Inc., please write to (info@narrateconferences.org).

The 2014 PAMLA Conference will be held Friday, October 31, through Sunday, November 2, at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside, California. We are planning some very special events for Halloween and the entire conference, including our special conference theme, “Familiar Spirits.” See http://www.pamla.org/2014 for more information.

The Science Fiction (SF) area will mount up to three 90-minute sessions featuring 3-4 papers each. You are welcome to submit proposals on any aspect of the genre, in any medium. We particularly welcome papers that focus on intersections between SF and the “fantastic,” broadly construed: horror, magical realism, weird/new weird, pseudoscience, and other uncanny genres that defamiliarize consensus reality.

The deadline to propose a paper is Thursday, May 15, at midnight. To propose a paper, please go to the CFP/list of session topics posted online at http://www.pamla.org/2014/topic-areas. You’ll have to log in to submit a paper proposal, or, if you’ve never logged in at the pamla.org website, you’ll have to create an account, and then you’ll be able to submit a proposal (just follow the online directions). If you’ve forgotten your user name and password, you can request a new password. The online form to submit proposals is available at http://www.pamla.org/2014/proposals.

If you have any questions about how to submit a proposal, you may contact PAMLA’s Executive Director, Craig Svonkin, at svonkin@netzero.com, or PAMLA’s webmaster, Heather Wozniak, at webmaster@pamla.org. If you have questions about the suitability of your proposal for the SF area, you can reach me at rob.latham@ucr.edu.

The deadline to pay your 2014 PAMLA dues is June 15, 2014. If you wish to attend the conference, you will also have to pay a conference fee (due September 10th, more expensive if paid after that date). We are working on a brand new online payment system, so please be patient while we work out the kinks on this system with our online provider. You will receive an email when the new payment system is up and ready.

Peter Lang Oxford is pleased to announce the launch of the new book series
World Science Fiction Studies
Series Editor: Professor Sonja Fritzsche, Illinois Wesleyan Universityhttp://www.peterlang.com?WSFS

The book series World Science Fiction Studies understands science fiction to be a global phenomenon and explores the various manifestations of the genre in cultures around the world. It recognizes the importance of Anglo-American contributions to the field but promotes the critical study of science fiction in other national traditions, particularly German-speaking. It also supports the investigation of transnational discourses that have shaped the science fiction tradition since its inception. The scope of the series is not limited to one particular medium and encourages study of the genre in both print and digital forms (e.g. literature, film, television, transmedial). Theoretical approaches (e.g. post-human, gender, genre theory) and genre studies (e.g. film shorts, transgenre such as science fiction comedy) with a focus beyond the Anglo-American tradition are also welcome.

The Projector: A Journal on Film, Media, and Culture is seeking submissions for a special issue on digital culture. We are interested in essays that critically explore digital texts, the digital distribution and consumption of media, and various forms of online communication and cultural practices. Potential topics include (but are not limited to):

•Convergence Culture
•Remix Culture
•Web 2.0, new forms of media texts, and new forms of media consumption
•YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services as distribution venues for independent and experimental cinema
•Web series as an evolution of or alternative to television broadcasting
•Netflix, Hulu, and amazon.com as producers of media content
•Online film and television fandom
•The use of social networking sites for the marketing of films and TV shows
•Dual screen media consumption
•Live Tweets as a part of TV broadcasts
•Fan-produced texts
•Internet fan communities and/or fandom practices

Essays should be approximately 25 pages and follow MLA guidelines for formatting and citation. The deadline for submission is June 30, 2014. Submissions should be emailed to both rsibiel@bgsu.edu and cbaron@bgsu.edu as Word or Open Office files.

A new project seeks essays of 6,000-8,000 words that explore television series about war.

Despite the historical and social prevalence of military-themed programming on US television, there has been no thorough scholarly investigation of this phenomenon. This anthology seeks to rectify the omission and to identify what television, as a cultural medium, has added to the depictions of war and militarism in the US. Chapters will explore the following questions: What are the conventions of the war series? How do fictional depictions of war on US TV operate in dialogue with existing war films? How do they relate to the broadcast news coverage of war? Is there anything unique about the way television series, as opposed to films, documentaries or news items, depict issues of nationalism and militarism? How do issues of race, class, gender, and sexuality play out differently in the war series, for example? How have the conventions of television production, distribution and reception affected the form, content and influence of the war story?

Please send proposals (no more than two pages) to both Stacy Takacs (stacy.takacs@okstate.edu) and Anna Froula (froulaa@ecu.edu) by May 30, 2014 with a one page CV. You may direct questions to either of us. Papers may examine one or more of the following series or tackle questions related to the inquiries above:

1. Kristine Larsen (CentralConnecticutStateUniversity), “Mr. Tompkins, the Philadelphia Experiment,
and Land of the Lost (1974-77):
Parallel Universes, Closed Universes, and the Dangers of Interdimensional
Travel”

4. John Walliss (LiverpoolHopeUniversity),
“The Road to Hell is Paved in D20s: Evangelical
Christianity and Fantasy Role Playing Games”

Science
Fiction, Fantasy, and Legend Area Presenter Biographies

Geoff Klock (D. Phil, OxfordUniversity) is the author
two academic books: How to Read Superhero
Comics and Why and Imaginary
Biographies: Misreading the Lives of the Poets. He presented at The
Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of their Superheroes:
Fashion and Fantasy exhibit. He is an assistant professor at Borough of
Manhattan Community College, and his name was the inspiration for villain in a
work by Marvel Comics writer Matt Fraction. You can find him online at geoffklock.blogspot.com.

Marlene San Miguel Groner is currently Chair of the Liberal Arts
and Sciences Department at Farmingdale State College. Her prime area of
specialization is twentieth-century women writers.

Derek McGrath is a third-year graduate student in the English PhD
program at StonyBrookUniversity.
He previously studied liberal arts and science at FloridaAtlanticUniversity, with
interests in the themes of home and travel in nineteenth-century American
literature. His other research interests include the description of human
bodies in text and film, including Henry Louis Gates’s African American
Lives television series, the works of Charles Darwin, and his scheduled
presentation on Dr. Horrible. By this year, Derek will have
presented twice at the Modern Language Association convention, and he has
presented at the Northeast MLA conference.

Michael A. Torregrossa, current Science Fiction, Fantasy, and
Legend Area Chair, is a graduate of the Medieval Studies program at the University of Connecticut
(Storrs). His
research interests include adaptation, Arthuriana, comics and comic art,
medievalism, and wizards. He is founder of the Alliance for the Promotion of Research on the
Villains of the Matter of Britain and co-founder, with Carl James Grindley, of
the Society for the Study of Popular Culture and the Middle Ages. Michael has
presented his research at regional, national, and international conferences and
has been published in Adapting the
Arthurian Legend for Children: Essays on Arthurian Juvenilia, Arthuriana, The Arthuriana / Camelot Project Bibliographies, Cinema Arthuriana: Twenty Essays, Film & History, The 1999 Film & History CD-Rom Annual,
The Medieval Hero on Screen:
Representations from Beowulf to Buffy, and the three most recent
supplements to the Arthurian Encyclopedia.

April Selley teaches American Literature and Creative Writing in
the English Department at UnionCollege in Schenectady,
New York. She has delivered
four previous papers on Star Trek at Popular Culture Conventions and has
published the following articles: “ ‘I Have Been, and Ever Shall Be, Your
Friend’: Star Trek, The Deerslayer and the American Romance,”
“Transcendentalism in Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “The Final Farce: Demythologizing
the Hero and the Quest in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" (with
Louise Grieco), and the entry on Star Trek in The Guide to United
States Popular Culture.

Intellect’s Fan Phenomena series is seeking chapters for a new volume on fandom and The Lord of the Rings films. The series explores and decodes the fascination we have with what constitutes an iconic or cult phenomenon, and how a particular person, TV show or film infiltrates its way into the public consciousness.

The Lord of the Rings (Fan Phenomena) title will examine the film’s ‘fan culture’, including matters of audience participation and iconic status, as well as other areas of influence and impact. Subjects are to be addressed in a thoughtful and accessible manner aimed at both fans and those interested in the cultural, economic, and social aspects of The Lord of the Rings.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

From Text to Screen: Spinning Words into Film in the Science-Fiction and Fantasy Genres
Call for Papers Date:2014-03-01
Date Submitted:2014-02-13
Announcement ID:211474

The translation of pre-existing works (plays, novels, short stories) to the big screen remains a problematic process fraught with difficulties of cultural translation and updates as well as differences in media forms and traditions. How do filmmakers take a work – especially one that existed in a different cultural and historical time – and translate it for contemporary audiences?

Such films are seeing unprecedented success in American and world cinema. Having received initial interest from an academic publisher the editors seek chapter proposals on films and the pre-existing texts they are based upon for a work that asks questions about the two kinds of “translation” happening here: How do filmmakers produce a film based on a non-filmic text? And, at the same time, how do they update the cultural ideas in those pre-existing texts for a modern audience without losing the inherent ideas of the original work?

Proposals should consider the following list in assessing their idea’s suitability for this project:

1. Proposals should include either recent films, “classics,” or films underrepresented in academic discussions.

2. Films should be based on non-film texts (preferably written) that are either genre or non-genre.

3. Preference to texts/films that have a somewhat significant period of time between the original text and the filmed version (i.e., Ender’s Game) unless the film/text are undeniably popular (i.e.: Jurassic Park).

4. Emphasis on the needs of the filmmaker to "culturally update" the original text to make it relevant for contemporary audiences, especially along lines of “race/class/gender” and technology/philosophy.

5. Emphasis on the cultural/mythic/folkloric importance of both the original text and the film version.

6. Preference to works that have seen more than a single film production.

7. The editors also wish to indicate a strong preference for avoiding unnecessary academic jargon and emphasizing clear writing and readability.

8. The editors also prefer not to receive proposals on the works of Philip K. Dick at this time.

Proposals:

Chapter proposals should provide a brief abstract (200-400 words) for a chapter of 5,500 to 7,000 words and detail the main thesis of the proposed chapter. Proposals should also include the name, discipline, and current affiliation (if any) of the author(s) with a separate, single page C.V. The editors are willing to consider proposals from graduate students and independent scholars. Proposals should be sent, as a Word and Word-compatible attachment to textualspawn@gmail.com by 1 March. Decisions on proposals will be made by 31 March and initial drafts are expected by 2 June with final drafts due by 18 August. The dates listed are subject to modification as deemed appropriate by the Press but the editors do not anticipate moving the dates up in the calendar.

The editors are interested in proposals on all possible films or film franchises, but are especially interested in the following:

War of the Worlds (Wells/Haskin [1953]/Spielberg [2005])

Oz (Baum/Semon [1925]/Fleming [1939]/Raimi [2013, Oz The Great and Powerful]

The Day the Earth Stood Still (Bates/Wise [1951]/Derrickson [2008])

The Thing (Campbell, Jr./Nyby [1951, as The Thing from Another World]/Carpenter [1982]/Heijningen, Jr. [2011])

Planet of the Apes (Boulle/Var. Directors, 1968-2014)

Ender’s Game (Card/Hood)

Harry Potter (Rowling/Var. Directors, 2001-2011)

I, Robot (Asimov/Proyas)

The editors also welcome general queries and questions concerning possible proposals and the suitability of specific films/texts at textualspawn@gmail.com address.

interdisciplinary from cfp.english.upenn.edu

film and television from cfp.english.upenn.edu

theatre from cfp.english.upenn.edu

North American Victorian Studies Association Blog Feed

Call for Papers 2017

The 2017 meeting of NEPCA will convene at University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, from 27-28 October 2017, and, in conjunction with NEPCA, the Fantastic (Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction) Area is pleased to announce that the call for papers for our tenth-anniversary sessions is now available. Given the proximity to Halloween, we are especially interested in proposals that explore the motif of the monstrous but will also consider proposals outside that topic that relate to the fantastic. Scholars of all levels are invited to submit individual proposals or proposals for complete sessions; submissions will be accepted until 1 June 2017. Further details are available in the posted call for papers.